Juan Martín del Potro is an Argentine professional tennis player who is currently ranked eighth in the world, the highest-ranked Argentine. By the age of 12, he had earned a spot as the representative for Argentina in the Nike Junior Tour. In 2004 he won his first professional match at the International Tennis Federation event. Since then he has become the youngest player to finish in the Top 100 in 2006, the Top 50 in 2007, the Top 10 in 2008.
Background
His father, Daniel, was a semi-professional rugby player in Argentina and a veterinarian. His mother, Patricia, is an educator. He has a younger sister named Julieta. Del Potro began playing tennis at the age of seven with coach Marcelo Gomez (who also coached Tandil-born players Juan Monaco, Mariano Zabaleta and Maximo Gonzalez). Del Potro's talent was discovered by Italian ex-tennis professional Ugo Colombini, who accompanied him through the initial phases of his young career, and is still today his agent and close friend.
Career
2004 -- Posted a 7-8 Futures record, with the best result being a QF at Campinas, Brazil.
2005 -- Finished as youngest player in year-end Top 200. Raised his ranking by over 900 positions. Won three Futures titles and posted a 23-10 record at the Challenger level. Reached first career final at Mexican Futures in Merimbau Naucalpan (l. to Madjaovski). In April, won back-to-back clay court Futures titles in Santiago with wins over Aguilar and Alves. Later that month, won Buenos Aires Futures (d. Patriarca). In July, stepped up to Challengers, and promptly reached SF on clay at Reggio Emilia (l. to Vassalo). In third career Challenger, reached final at Campos do Jordao (d. Capdeville, Daniel, l. to Sa). Followed with SF at Belo Horizonte (l. to Pless). Late in year, won his first career Challenger title in Montevideo (d. Pashanski). Won doubles title at Guayquil (w/Marin). Finalist at Belo Horizonte (w/Gonzalez).
2006 -- Youngest player to finish in Top 100 during year at 18 years, 2 months. Made his debut on ATP circuit and posted two
ATP QF. Also won a pair of Challenger titles at Aguascalientes (d. Roitman) and Segovia (d. Verdasco in QF, Becker in F) to compile a 17-10 Challenger mark. Qualified five times into main draw of ATP level tournaments. Made ATP debut in Vina del
Mar and reached 2nd RD with win over Portas (l. to Gonzalez). Qualified in his Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros, falling in 1st RD to former champion Ferrero in four sets. In July, reached 3rd RD in Stuttgart as a qualifier (l. to Mayer) and reached first ATP QF in Umag (l. to Wawrinka). In Mumbai, defeated Moya but retired in next match against Delgado with illness. Finished year with 3rd RD at Tokyo (l. to Henman) and QF in Basel (l. to Gonzalez). In doubles, won title at Aquascalientes Challenger and reached final at Biella (both w/Vassallo Arguello).
2007 -- Finished as youngest player in Top 50 at 19 years, 2 months. Won 28 matches and opened season with his first ATP SF in Adelaide (l. to Guccione). In March, advanced to 4th RD at AMS Miami, posting wins over Bjorkman, No. 18 Baghdatis and No. 17 Youzhny (l. to Nadal). On grass, reached 2nd RD at Queen's (l. to Nadal), QF at Nottingham (l. to Karlovic) and 2nd RD at Wimbledon (l. to Federer). During summer hard court circuit, advanced to 3rd RD at AMS Cincinnati (d. Canas, l. to Moya) and at US Open (l. to Djokovic). In October at AMS Madrid, defeated No. 9 Robredo for first Top 10 win en route to 3rd RD (l. to eventual champ Nalbandian). Went 1-9 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled marks of 21-19 on hard, 4-3 on grass and 1-2 on clay.
2008 -- The youngest player in the year-end Top 10 won four titles in five finals. Finished as top Argentine and South American for first time and also helped his country to Davis Cup final (l. to Spain 3-1). Fell to Lopez in four sets, injuring his
right thigh in the match, which kept him out of reverse singles. In first half of season, went 9-8 with his best results a SF in 's-Hertogenbosch (l. to Ferrer) and QF in Munich (l. to El Aynaoui). Struggled with back problems, retiring twice. After 2nd RD exit at Wimbledon, won 37 of 45 matches, including a 23-match winning streak. Won first ATP title in Stuttgart (d. Gasquet) and following week won in Kitzbnhel (d. Melzer), both on clay. Moved to hard courts and won back-to-back titles in Los Angeles (d. Roddick) and Washington (d. Troicki) before streak ended with QF loss at US Open (l. to Murray). Climbed
from No. 65 on July 7 to No. 13 on Sept. 8. Helped his country to its third Davis Cup final (1981, 2006) by defeating Russia's No. 5 Davydenko and then Andreev in decisive fifth rubber. Reached Tokyo final (l. to Berdych) to break into Top 10 on Oct. 6. Reached QF at AMS Madrid and SF in Basel. In debut at Tennis Masters Cup went 1-2 in round robin play. Was 27-11 on hard, 15-3 on clay and 4-2 on grass. Played fewest tie-breaks (10-8) in Top 10. Went 5-9 against Top 10 foes.
2009 -- The Argentine was youngest player in year-end Top 10, finishing a personal-best N 5. The top South American on ATP World Tour captured three titles, including his first Grand Slam crown, and reached his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final. Closed season by reaching final at Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London (l. to Davydenko). In January he captured his fifth career ATP World Tour title in Auckland (d. Querrey) and followed with his second straight Grand Slam QF at Australian Open (l. to Federer). Advanced to back-to-back QF in San Jose and Memphis. In March, reached QF at Indian Wells, falling to No. 1 and eventual champion Nadal. He then advanced to SF in Miami where he posted three-set
win over No. 1 Nadal in QF. Trailed 0-3 (two breaks) in third set before winning in a tie-break for his first win in five meetings. Afterwards, moved from No. 7 to a career-high No. 5 on Apr. 6. On clay, turned in QF effort in Rome (l. to Djokovic) and followed with SF in Madrid where he beat No. 3-ranked Murray in QF before losing to eventual champ Federer. He then reached his first Grand Slam SF at Roland Garros where he beat No. 9 Tsonga in 4th RD before losing to eventual champion Federer in five sets. The Argentine suffered a second-round loss to Hewitt at Wimbledon but bounced back by winning both his singles rubbers in Argentina’s Davis Cup QF loss. In August he defended his title in Washington, D.C (d. Roddick). The following week in Montreal he defeated World No. 2 Nadal and No. 5 Roddick to reach his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final, losing in three sets to No. 3 Murray…At US Open he captured title with back-to-back wins over No. 3 Nadal in SF and No. 1 Federer in final in five sets (rallying from 1-2 set deficit). Became first player to beat Nadal and Federer in a Grand Slam tournament and first Argentine to capture US Open since Vilas in 1977. In November, reached QF in Paris, saving seven match points in 3rd RD win over F. Gonzalez. Closed campaign by reaching final at Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London by posting round-robin wins over Verdasco and Federer, Soderling in SF before falling to Davydenko in final. Was
second on ATP World Tour with 14 match wins after losing first set during season (behind Stepanek’s 15). Compiled marks of 41-11 on hard, 12-4 on clay and 1-1 on grass. Went 11-9 vs. Top 10 opponents and earned a career-high $4,753,087.
2010 -- The Tandil native only played three tournaments due to right wrist injury. Reached 4th RD at Australian Open (d. Russell, Blake 10-8 in five sets, F. Mayer, l. to Cilic in five sets). Underwent surgery on May 4 in Rochester, Minnesota. Returned after eight month absence and lost in 1st RD in Bangkok (l. to O. Rochus) and Tokyo (l. to Lopez). Has protected ranking of No. 5 for up to nine tournaments that will expire June 20, ‘11.
2011 -- The Tandil native returned from a right wrist injury to earn ATP Comeback Player of Year as he captured 2 titles, reached another final and 4 SF en route to jump of 246 spots, biggest in Top 20. Led his country to Davis Cup final with 2 wins in SF tie in Serbia, defeating Tipsarevic and No. 1 Djokovic, who retired with a back injury. In final vs. Spain, lost in 5 sets to Ferrer and 4 sets to Nadal. Won titles in Delray Beach (d. Tipsarevic) and Estoril (d.Verdasco). Reached final in Vienna (l. to Tsonga). Went 3-10 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled marks of 33-13 on hard, 10-3 on clay and 5-2 on grass.
2012 -- The top Argentine had 1st Top 10 finish since ’09 and won career-high 65 matches, most for an Argentine since Coria won 60 in ‘03. Won 4 titles in 5 finals, in Marseille (d. Llodra), repeated in Estoril (d. Gasquet) and back-to-back in Vienna (d. Zemlja) and Basel (d. Federer in 3rd set TB). Finalist in Rotterdam (l. to Federer). Reached 10 SF, including at Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, and 5 QF. At London Olympics, lost record 4h26m SF, 19-17 in 3rd set to Federer but came back to beat No. 2 Djokovic and win bronze. Made QF at Aus. Open (l. to Federer), Roland Garros (l. to Federer in 5 sets) and US Open (d. Roddick in 4R in American’s final match, l. to Djokovic) to finish 15-4 in Grand Slams. No. 7 in service games won (87%), break pts. saved (69%); No. 10 in aces (594). Compiled records of 40-12 on hard courts (20-4 indoor, most wins), 17-3 on clay and 8-2 on grass. Had 8-14 record vs Top 10 with 6 losses coming to Federer (2-6). Had 28-17 TB record (most TBs won in Top 10).
2013 -- Dropped the fewest number of games en route to Australian Open 3R, losing 13 games, but then fell to Chardy in five sets. Became first Argentinean since Vilas in 1982 (d. Connors) to win Rotterdam title, beating Benneteau in straight sets. Has a 4-3 record in indoor finals and 14 tour-level titles. Fell in Marseille QFs (l. to Simon). On 26 February, saved 3 M.P. at 4-5 in 3rd set versus Baghdatis in Dubai 1R, winning 76(3) in decider. Beat Djokovic in 3 sets in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells SFs en route to becoming the second Argentine to reach the final (also 1977-Vilas). Lost to Nadal in 3-set final, dropping to 18-41 versus Top 10 opponents. On 22 March, fell in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami 2R (l. to Kamke). Fell to Nieminen in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo 3R. On 26 April, withdrew from Oeiras (Estoril), where he is a two-time champion, due to a stomach virus. On 16 May, fell in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome 3R (l. to Paire). On 22 May, pulled out of Roland Garros with a respiratory virus. In ATP World Tour comeback, reached the Queen’s Club QFs (l. to Hewitt).